Stationary Addict, crafter, teacher & mum fitting it all in is what my blog is all about!

Month: April 2016

So a week or so ago I wrote about Express Errands, whilst jusggling nursery, work and shopping the last few days I felt the need ti wrote another blog.

It all started this Thursday evening, I completed my after school revision session in which I had three people from within the school catch me for various things whilst trying to install the importance of profit & loss accounts to the students who have suddenly realised that the exam is not far away. As soon as I had finished I rushed to the nursery and picked up the 3 year old. I then shot back and picked up my shopping as I do a click and collect order and it works for me and I needed to get it during my allocated slot. Then I had to pick up my youngest from my mother in law who kindly looks after him during the week. We had a quick dinner and then I rushed back and got the bags ready for the following day as Friday both boys go to nursery. Then I attempted to get them both to bed and by 10pm – they were down!

Friday morning, I managed on my own as my husband was working away to get them both to nursery by 7.30am. Then got to work ready to deliver a short talk to the teaching staff of my inspirational teaching methods (ha) and then onto lessons for the rest of the day. I left work at 4pm again back to nursery for the pick dodging the rain, popped into Morrisons for some last minute additions to dinner and made it home for bathtime at 6pm, which we managed and had them ready for pizza night at 7pm. By 9pm I was done, they were fed and whilst putting the youngest to bed fell asleep next to him.

A whirl wind to the end of the week not to mention a sober one … Now thats Express Errands.
Anyone who does this on a regular basis gets my appaluse, I take my hat off to you!

Item #4: Inspiring Mandalas Coloring Book

This is the amazing subscription box called Brimbles Box that is put together by the very creative, happy, and the most thoughtful and positive woman I think I follow on all my social media, Anna Brimbles. She creates ephemera, stickers and other stationary which is just jaw dropping. You receive this parcel once a month at a cost of £15 plus postage. Anna also has a facebook page aptly named Mrs Brimbles Happy Place.9. It is full of stationary wonderfullness that anyone who enjoys looking at other stationary addict hauls will enjoy.

The Brimbles Box has lots of ephemera that I will most certainly use in my smashbooking and penpal decoartion. There is a theme each month and this months theme is for all the planner nerds out there, Anna has a fantastic eye of putting things that fit well together into the box which is why it is a great subscription. There are different boxes you can order. There is one specifically for Personal planners, and one for the A5 planners, this of course is if you have a filofax, and she also has a shop that sells the items that are in the Brimbles box separately if she still has these in stock.

I have done a video unboxing this months box over on you tube on my channel (linked down below) so if you want to see what exactly came in the box please have a look, like and subscribe.

This is a teaser of only some of the stickers that arrived in my happy mail from the USA. I am so jealous as the stationary addicts over the pond have such a arge vaiety of shops to get their ‘fix’ from. This subscription box comes in two sizes a small one for around $7 and then this one which is approx $15. However if you want to get a discount I can refer you and you will be able to get a discount. If you do please leave a comment and like the page and I will getback to you on how you can get your discount.

The thing I like about this subscription is that I have very little time. I do not have the time to go out and about sticker finding. I am also very impatient I dont really have enough creativity to buy sticker themes, as I like in a way for the stickers to come and find me. I always feel that when I am presented by lots of stickers I never really can select what I really like or anything that goes well with other stickers. This makes buying stickers really difficult. By having these beauties arrive once a month allows the headache to be taken out of the equation. I dont have to worry – have I spent another few pounds on something I am not keen on discussion I have with myself when I am buying stickers. This means when they arrive I can think about how I am going to decorate my smash book and how I am going to decorate any out going happy mail that I maybe thinking about. I also like the fact that there is a variety of types of stickers and the size of the stickers also vary so you really can use them on as many different things as possible.

I have done an unboxing vide of the April sticker pack if you would like to see what exactly has come in the pack here. If you like the video (link below), please give it a like and subscribe for videos of a similar nature.

So lets talk about efficiency of the person who looks after the child (children).

This morning we awoke at 6.30am. Neithet boys wanted to get up. The youngest was in nursery so I had them up and dressed along with some temper tantrums in the car by 7.30am. We dropped off the little one and raced home for a quick breakfast as we both had our dentist appointments at 9.30am. This has been the log awaited first visit from the eldest and so far he doesn’t do well with first experiences. So both my husband and I have been introducing him to the idea on a daily basis since Easter so he knew it was coming. He managed just fine and was given a Thomas sticker for being so good. So out of there by 10am and that was both of us so on a roll. I had managed to get display for school ordered from a local company which I had been meaning to pick up for weeks so we shot over to pick that up. By 10.30am I was sitting in the beauticians chair waiting for my waxing to be completed. I am now at the hairdressers and its 12.00 ready for a long awaited hair cut. My eldest has shown superb behaviour although I can see he is ready for a nap. I feel like I have done a days work but know that this is what many parents who are the childcare do everyday. Whilst this is definately not me I totally support anyone who says its a job. I am shattered and My eldest has eaten all his fruit snacks, and even some chocolate that he totally deserved. Never mind him needing a nap I most certainly do! Express Errands indeed!
(I’ve even managed writing this blog post while waiting for my hair dye to take effect!)

The clocks have changed, its lighter, its brighter and the April showers are most definitely here. The summer is most definitely on its way to us and its been a really busy Easter. Lots of sickness from my eldest son, lots of work that has come to fruitition at school so lots of visits back to school to plan before last push before the examination begins. I have been lucky that the grandparents have the boys so all the chores can be done along with a little bit of me time.

Since leaving my job at a college last December I had acquired a nice set of vouchers that I have been meaning to spend. John Lewis was the main voucher bearer so the Bare Minerals stand benefited from the vouchers and I benefited from a complete make over haul. And they are right. It is light on my skin, doesn’t feel caked on and doesn’t seem to irritate me. I really can’t remember the last time I bought make up so it was a complete spring clean of the make up and replaced by fresh make up that will make me look not so drained and hide the odd wrinkle or so. The main test will be when I am using it when in full swing of the term and the different jobs that have to be done before I leave the house in the morning. I have never been a make up wearer but I hit 40 and realised I cannot be the makeup less mum of two that looks so worn out so succumbed to social pressures and hit the make up counters at John Lewis!

I was also lucky enough to get Paperchase vouchers and I have been longing to spend them. So while they still had their sale I attacked the planner section, and yes another planner joined the family of planners that are making their statement in my craft space in the house. I just need to make sure I have the time to plan occasionally!

I also subscribed to Pipsticks a sticker subscription pack which I am very excited about as I just don’t have the time to buy them but I will do a separate blog post about these, they will complement my Brimbles Box subscription that I absolutely adore.

So the final term in almost upon us, the start of my second term at school where the daily mantra becomes the summer holidays are coming….